1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a user interface apparatus, a processing apparatus, and a user interface method, which provide interface between a device or apparatus and a user, a program for implementing the method, and a storage medium storing the program.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, multi-function peripherals (hereinafter referred to as “MFPs”) have appeared, which are capable of providing users with a plurality of functions such as a copy function, a print function, a facsimile function, a scanned image transmitting/receiving function, and an electronic mail (hereinafter referred to as “e-mail”) function and MFPs have been used to enhance the efficiency of office work. Moreover, to further enhance the efficiency of office work, attempts have been made to expand functionality of MFPs.
However, the expansion of the functionality of the MFP complicates operations required for a user to carry out. As a result, sometimes, the user cannot make full use of many useful functions provided by the MFP. For this reason, to increase the operability of the MFP by the user, a MFP having a function of registering a plurality of operations to be collectively carried out by a single operating button has been proposed and realized.
As an example of an apparatus of this kind, there has been proposed a printing apparatus having a macro registration function of registering the types and orders of pressing of a plurality of operating keys which have been pressed, using key codes generated when the operating keys are pressed and performing a series of operations which have been registered by a call key (for example, refer to Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. H05-246111). Moreover, there has been proposed a method for preventing erroneous macro registration by storing the macro function while performing a function corresponding to an operating key in the same manner as the function is performed in actual operation at the time of registration of the macro function (for example, refer to Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. H08-329338).
However, when a user calls and uses a macro function registered in an apparatus in another apparatus different in kind from the apparatus with this macro function registered therein, if a specific operation or setting content is included in the called-up macro function, the user cannot normally perform the macro function, which results in interruption of the processing being performed by the user.
In this case, the user needs to carry out an additional operation such as searching for an apparatus capable of normally performing the desired macro function and carrying out the same processing again, or carrying out again operations registered as the macros function one by one, which results in degraded efficiency of the user's operation.